Using matrix style grids, I experiment with creating grid based transition effects that emanate from the center of the screen.

One way to perform perspectively correct texture mapping is via an actual calculation of the z-value at every pixel of the triangle to be rendered. That made me wonder if someone has implemented a simultaneous texture mapping and z-buffer in Flash using Alchemy.

We are currently working on a platform game that will feature an occasional gravity flip. In some levels the effect will be accompanied by flipping the entire screen but in others it may be too distracting. For those levels we have to come up with other ways to convey that the gravity switched direction.

The task is simple: how to go about a motion blur of a fast-spinning OpenGL ES sphere on the iPhone? That is, how to achieve the following effect…

This article is part of a multi-part series on using FLEX builder for banner development. The article here represents a starting point for developing standard flash media with FLEX. In future articles we will look into rich media development, and how to integrate 3rd party api’s such as Doubleclick or Pointroll into your FLEX projects.

This is a follow-up to the first article about training creatures to walk using neural networks and genetic algorithms. The next creature I decided to train is a worm. Here’s the result (generation ~200).

I remember seeing Karl Sims’ video Evolved Virtual Creatures a long time ago. I was completely stunned but unfortunately forgot about it for many years. I was reminded of it again last year when reading about training neural networks using genetic algorithms and decided to evolve my own creatures.

About a year ago, our company decided to come up with a game that would utilize a highly stylized 3D city neighborhood as the main “menu” for the game. In a nutshell, just a couple of semitransparent 3D boxes. I figured, rather than looking into an existing Flash 3D engine, I can code it myself.

Most Flash 3D engines use a clever technique called normal mapping to compensate for the lack of mesh detail. How could a normal map be used for Phong shading? We already have all the normals we need, the only problem left is the shininess exponent, that would have to be computed per pixel. My solution follows.

Earlier this year Grant Skinner organized coding competition. The task was particularly simple: to code something cool in ActionScript using at most 140 characters (whence the name, tweetcoding). As everybody else, let me talk about my submissions a little bit, too.